I was hurling when Kage came with the news. He was pointed towards the other ghost's town. The object opening the rift is there. He warned that anyone who touches it will go insane. Tiberius drove me to the city to collect a trash picker. I was told to wear the ninja outfit. The one with the macabre mask. We took the long route to avoid stragglers. The trip took a day and a half. We followed Kage to the town hospital where the surroundings were rose bushes. The white roses seemed harmless until we got closer. Then the branches reached. Tiberius used the flamethrower disguised as a cylinder with a few buttons. The branches let out a screech as they burned. Then the ground cracked open as it swallowed the bushes. The doors open on their own accord. Kage went towards the back. We walked till we found the emergency door smashed. As we stepped on broken glass the air smelled like stale urine, decayed flesh and burnt electronics. Dust was layered so thick I am guessing they have gone from paying rent to out right land owners. He took me up two flights of stairs. There was a red balloon floating aimlessly. A ceramic doll with a missing leg and chipped paint was sitting with its back to me. As I got closer the doll's head turned to face me. It gave a wink and turned back. A completely malnourished man with long hair crawled forward. His mouth was open as though he was asking me to feed him. He was soaked to the bone and left a watery trail as he kept coming.
Kage redirected us towards the maternity ward. I saw a woman dressed in a black funeral gown walked back and forth cradling a bundle. She hummed in a grotesque tone. She turned to face us and pointed at the labor room. She then walked through the wall. The door opened to show a neat and tidy room filled potion ingredients and a cauldron. There was no medical equipment anywhere to be seen. The table had a fresh umbilical cord with blood and amniotic fluid. I took the lighter fluid and started to pour it over. The others did the same. Once the place was soaked we set it on fire and walked away. Mrs. Erebus used magic to contain the flames. Once it was charred we went back. The road was littered with ghosts. Some were partially skeletons. They gave us a look of appreciation. One even said thank you before vanishing. Kage came and took us back to the hospital. We kept walking till we were in the basement. The entire time Tiberius was yelling at him for taking us in the wrong direction. He gave him a look and Erebus explained that the object likes to switch places so destroying it would be impossible. Kage gave her a bow as though he was confirming it. Dracula apologized and we kept walking. Mrs. Kol suddenly remembered something and Erebus told not to go. The diversion spell is working which means it is close by. So we kept going forward despite the urge to go elsewhere. The urge to destroy the object responsible for the rift opening so often was stronger. The double doors swung open and I saw the ground was smashed and a single stem rose was in the middle. Half of the petals were black and the other half was white. I took the stringless bow and set it on fire. It exploded with a bang and I saw a metal box lined with silk housed a single white gemstone on it. It was crystal clear but it had seven black dots. Erebus explained that these are used to curse people. Which is why people buy stones that are clear as glass. I took the last of the black glitter and poured it over. Sparks flew as it turned to smoke and the box melted. The ride back was also a day and a half.
We came to town to see people were screaming. The three days we were gone a new family moved in. They were kind till the rift opened and they just shoved several innocent people into it. They were very pleased to see the occurring pandemonium. I used the bow and reeled the innocent ones back then I hurled the empty black glitter bottle at the rift. The vial shattered and everyone saw it was held open by a pair of invisible hands. Eight of them to be precise. The vial burned all eight and the rift shut closed with a bang. I asked who sold them land. The mayor explained, "They haven't purchased land from our town but the empty space on the outskirts that is just beyond the borders. They were very nice till the rift opened and they just helped the monsters." They weren't remorseful about their actions. They did protest as they were arrested. Tiberius called the city police and they dragged them away. The Windermere family were promising retribution as they were taken away. Erebus blew dust on their faces and they were talking about killing everyone. The butler called the lawyer. Mrs. Erebus promised they will forget everything the moment they go beyond the town borders. The locals applauded as they were removed. I asked Tiberius if we could buy the property and used it as a defence in case the darklings decided to leave the locals and go outwards. Mrs. Erebus thought the idea was pathetic. I asked if it could be turned into a farm to feed the locals in there is a mudslide. There have been situations in the past where food shortages have caused problems. She loved the idea. Tiberius called the lawyer and the rest was history.
I was walking back to the mansion where I was back in the skull ridge where I shot the conquistador. I looked down to see a shadowy outline of a man wearing a glowing hooded cloak. He seems to be searching for something. A hand grabbed me from behind. I saw the fingernails were still missing. I asked Lissette what was going on. She told me not to go meet the ranger. I explained that I can almost see his features. I can't see his face. But I can tell he is tall and lean. Although he is covered in shadow I can tell his clothes are the ones worn by the Rus Vikings. He looks like a prince. He is searching for something or someone. I want to help him. But Lissette advised me against it. She told me that it would be in my best interest to not disturb the ranger. If our paths meet then things will get very ugly very fast. I wanted to know what would happen if we met. She simply dragged me away. Her fingers began to bleed as her grip tightened. She took a deep breath and told me to not return for a few days. She wants me to be safe. The ranger has episodes of insanity. I would be in grave danger if our paths crossed. He is proven on certain occasions that he can be much worse than the conquistador and the halo. The halo was the bride with the glowing wedding dress. She is the definition of the word problematic. So avoid her like the bubonic plague. She is looking for me so she can switch places and go to the real world to commit all sorts of atrocities. Possession and murder to be precise. Whatever happens stay in Noctis Ursa. The underverse is not safe. She dragged me towards the trees and shoved me. The roots wrapped themselves around me and pulled me into the earth. I saw only pitch black and then suddenly I was back in town.
Tiberius was worried. I explained everything and he asked Erebus to lock every passage to the underverse. Erebus laughed as she explained that she doesn't have the authority to do so. Lissette interrupted me when the gift was trying to figure out the next problem to solve. The prevailing theory is that the ranger is someone who needs closure so he can move on. Tiberius tried to argue since his wife mentioned the episodes of insanity. Harkness explained her episodes of insanity till I gave her a proper burial granting her some semblance of peace. She is here as blood debt. So to say that someone should be avoided when they can be saved is a criminal offense. Tiberius was livid so I proposed that I will avoid the ranger till his episode dies down. Tiberius agreed with me.
I was practicing hurling when Mrs. Kol came to tell me it was bath time. The tub was filled with milk. There were black rose petals and slices of thorn apples and bitter figs. It smelled like something sour. After the bath I got dressed in a black t-shirt with a cracked skull surrounded by a wreath of gray roses and a ceremonial dagger dripping blood and cargo pants. There was a knock on the door and Atticus happily gave me a smoking crystal goblet. The liquid tasted bitter and spicy but thankfully it was non alcoholic. I was taken to the astronomy section on the roof. There was a telescope in center. On the floor was a map of the constellation moving in accordance with time and space. On the wall on my right was the map of the underverse. There was another map to Yami the dark realm. The left was a map of the underverse. There were various names written in slanted cursive writing. The names I recognized were Lissette, the halo but there were names I didn't recognize. For example Vladimir, Hernán, Moros and many more. The landscape changed every few minutes as though trying to keep everyone on their toes. Which meant getting lost was easier than I thought. Tiberius coughed casually and I turned my attention to his lessons. Behind him was the map of the town itself. He explained that the peak of certain planetary alignment will open Yami. And the portal closes when the peak is over. This lasts for exactly thirty two hours. I will have to be assigned a section. He and the others will guard certain quadrants. We can't go anywhere till the portal closes. Whatever is on the other side isn't allowed. Fight to kill but never let any of them go beyond the red line.